When spring finally springs, the impending departure of powder looms heavily on the minds of most skiers. For some, spring is a time for apres beer on the deck, harvesting corn and carving slush.Â For others, it’s a time to chase the last remnants of fluff lingering in the hills.

While temps soared to 50-plusÂ in Crested Butte last week, there were a dwindling few mounts to the west that stoically protected their stash of powder. And despite the rain in town, overcast skies and sketchy weather, we were on a pirate’s quest to plunder that pow. About 15 miles west of Crested Butte, in the shadow of Mount Owen, Purple Mountain’s picturesque S CouloirÂ is a narrow, super-steep shot that shelters its swath of snow from sun and wind, leaving it perpetually silky.Â

Purple Mountain’s S Couloir is the predominant coolie in the middle of the frame:

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It took about an hour to climb the near-vertical chute. The consistently steep slope is about 1,200 vertical feet. Snowmobiles certainly eased the 15-mile access approach from town.

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Here’s the obligatory “Davenport Shot,” a favorite of the Aspen mountaineer.

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Crested Butte’s Mike Preston carves what is likely the last powder of the season.Â